A “Deceitful, Hysterical, Out-of-Control Rampage”: FOSSIL FUELS, CLIMATE DENIAL, AND DISTRUST BUILDING

In 1995, I was surprised to find myself litigating the science of climate change. Although I was an environmental lawyer, I had no background in climate issues. I was a Minnesota assistant attorney general, advising my client agency on day-to-day implementation of clean air laws, none of which focused on climate. I was not expecting to plunge into one of the most daunting— and soon, polarizing— issues of our time. State law required Minnesota energy regulators to quantify the environmental harms caused by power plants, launching a proceeding that would consider global warming costs. My client agency joined in, presenting